Mother as Viewed by Divine Religions

Mother as Viewed by Divine Religions

Compiled by: Muhammad Ehsani

Translated by NayyerehTowhidi

It goes without saying that all Divine religions have held mothers in great reverence, given them a very high position and advised all people to respect and pay homage to their mothers and try their best to be of service to them. Divine Messengers (AS) have certainly defined values for human beings throughout the human history and hence they have introduced and clarified the position and rights of parents, particularly mothers in the best way, thus letting all know that they are duty-bound, as per Divine commands to love, respect and serve their parents, in particular their mothers, to the last moment of their lives.In verse 41 of chapter 14 (Ibrahim) of the Holy Qur’an we read that prophet Ibrahim (AS) beseeches Allah to grant his forgiveness to him, to his parents and to the faithful on the Day of Judgment: “Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and all the faithful, on the day when the reckoning is held.”

This prayer of Prophet Ibrahim,Abraham, (AS) points to the greatness of the position of parents and is also very educative in that it teaches the monotheists how to pray for their parents. From this verse of the Holy Qur’an it can also be inferred that Prophet Ibrahim (AS), as a great Messenger of Allah had great respect for his parents, since he know that parents should be highly revered.

Likewise, Prophet Musa – Moses - (AS), another great Divine Messenger has been informed by Allah about the significance of holding one’s parents in respect and serving them. It has been narrated that once during supplication to Allah,Prophet Musa (AS) asked Allah to let him know who would be his companion in paradise. And his prayer was heard and he was told (by Allah) to go to a certain place where he met a young butcher. Prophet Musa (AS) kept a careful eye upon the young man all day long to see which praise worthy acts that youth did due to which he had received such a lofty position with Allah. Yet he did not find any extraordinary conduct on the part of that youth, and so in the evening when the youth was leaving for his house, Prophet Musa (AS), without introducing himself requested the youth to receive him as a guest in his house on that night. For Prophet Musa (AS) wanted to find the reason behind that young man’s getting so near to Allah as to have been granted the position of the companionship of a Prophet in paradise. The young man accepted the request of Prophet Musa (AS) and they both entered the former’s house, and the host – that blessed youth, on arriving in his home first prepared a meal and then went to an aged woman who was crippled in both hands and legs and unable to move. Prophet Musa (AS) observed that the young man put morsels of food in her mouth quite attentively, respectfully and patiently and the aged disable woman would look up toward the sky and litter some words after receiving each mouthful. And that the youth gave the old man a bathing and changed her clothes with the same politeness, care and devotion. On leaving that house and bidding farewell, Prophet Musa (AS) introduced himself and demanded to know who that old disable woman was and what she said when she looked up towards the sky. In reply to Prophet Musa (AS), that young man said: “She is my mother and each time I feed her and attend to her needs, she prays to God to make me the companion of Musa- the son of Imran in paradise.” Then Prophet Musa (AS) gave the youth the tiding that his mother’s prayer for him had been heard by God.

As for the teachings of Prophet Isa, Jesus Christ, (AS) in this regard, suffice it to mention this verse of the Holy Qur’an in which his holiness has said that Allah has made him beneficent towards his mother.“He has made me blessed, wherever I may be, and He has enjoined me to [maintain] the prayer and to [pay] the Zakat as long as I live, and to be good to my mother, and He has not made me self-willed and wretched. (The Holy Qur’an; Maryam, 31, 32)

The fact that Prophet Isa (AS) as a great Divine Messenger had been endowed with many honours and blessings to thank Allah for and yet particularly mentions his goodness towards his mother (we know that Prophet Isa (AS) was by Allah’s will born without a father) as a blessing to be thankful to Allah for, signifies the high reverence he had for the position of a mother. And Islam stand at the head of all Divine faiths in honouring and giving respect to the position of parents, particularly mothers. Islam, viewing mothers as the chief trainers, and educators of human beings, holds that it is chiefly through mothers that societies prosper and/or deviate, and thus all should consider themselves indebted to their mothers for all success and happiness they achieve.

The Holy Qur’an, as Allah’s last revealed book, refers to the status of mothers on various occasions with very glorious expressions, including the direct divine revelation to Prophet Musa (AS)’s mother (verse 7 of chapter 28 – Qisas), Prophet Isa (AS)’s words regarding his mother and also Allah’s command to honour and be good and respectful to one’s parents, particularly to mothers. These words of Allah can be considered as divine glorification of the mother’s status.

In chapter 31 (luqman) – (verse 14) Allah mentions the fact that mothers suffer numerous pains during pregnancy and giving birth and also in chapter 46 (Ahqaf, verse 15) Allah mentions the same point and again emphasizes the command to be good to one’s parents. A very noteworthy point regarding the Qur’anic verses dealing with the subject of duties towards parents is that Allah first commands goodness to one’s parents- both the mother and the father and then without mentioning the fathers, speaks about the pains and sufferings mothers bear (in connection with child bearing ...).

This point can also be regarded as an indication of the sublime position of mothers. And accordingly Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Infallible Imams (ma’sumin) (As) have presented very enlightening directions in this regard,Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said : “Paradise lies at the feet of your mothers.” This hadith clarifies the fact that without having been good to one’s mother and having achieved her satisfaction and pleasure, one cannot enter the paradise, and cannot gain access to celestial blessings, and that the one who desires to attain high degrees in paradise and to please Allah to a great extent, should do his/her best in serving and respecting his/her mother and pleasing her.

And Imam As-Sadiq (AS) has been quoted thus:“A young man asked Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as to whom he should serve (in order to achieve Allah’s pleasure).” In reply, the Holy Prophet (PBUH)said: “your mother”. The youth asked his holiness this question for three times and each time received the same reply. And on repeating the question for the fourth time, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam said: “your father”. This Hadith also points to the significance of serving mothers as per divine directions, and shows the greatness of the position of motherhood which might to some extent be due to many sufferings a mother. Bears throughout the period of pregnancy, during labour and child- birch and after that when she feeds her child and takes great care not to let any harm afflict her infant. It is an undeniable fact that the more pains and troubles a servant of Allah bears in his way, the greater rewards and loftier positions will be granted upon him/her by Allah-the gracious and hence the mother’s great rewards and positions with Allah, and Allah’s messengers (AS).

We know that Allah’s last and most exalted messenger- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lost his beloved mother her Holiness Ameneh (SA) in childhood.

It has been narrated that while Her Holiness,Ameneh was in her dead-bed, her beloved child – Muhammad (PBUH) would press his blessed face upon her face, looking at her with grief and shed tears. And after she had passed away, that exalted orphan Muhammad (PBUH) threw himself on his dear mother’s corpse and cried and when the relatives around separated his Holiness from his (demised) mother, his Holiness threw himself on his mother’s corpse again and cried. And His Holiness would repeatedly visit his dear mother’s grave and pray there, which honourableconduct on the part of Allah’s most perfect messenger signifies the great reverence in which mothers should be held.

It has also been narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would also hold his foster – mothers in at most respect, thus honouring the rights they had gained through suckling and over His Holiness.In just the same vein, Imam As-Sajjad (AS) has given instructive guidance concerning the rights of mothers, including: “Included among your mother’s rights upon you is that you should know that she carried you the way nobody else does, fed you on the fruit of her heart which no (other) one gives you and embraced you whole – heartedly and was ready to suffer hunger in order to feed you and to suffer the heat of the sun in order to keep you in a shade and that she renounced sleep in order to take care of you and that you will not be able to thank her for all these services unless through seeking help from Allah.”

These words of the Infallible also prove the greatness of the position of mothers and the rights of the mothers over their children, particularly since the Imam (AS) has made success in being thankful to one’s mother conditional on asking Allah for help in this connection.

Here, mention must certainly be made of the great respect the Infallible Imams (AS) had for Ummul – A’emmah – the mother of the (11 Infallible) Imams – Her Holiness Fatimah Al – Zahra (SA). It has been narrated that once one of Imam As-Sadiq (AS)’s friends in told His Holiness that Allah had given him a daughter and in reply to the Imam (AS)’s question as to what name he had given the female infant, the man said that he had named his new – born daughter “Fatimah” upon hearing which name – “Fatimah”, the Imam (AS) put his blessed hands upon his forehead as a sign of respect, gave a deep sigh and repeated the name three times and then addressed the man thus: Now that you have named your daughter “Fatimah”, take great care never to swear at her. Her name is a very honourable name and you should observe the reverence owed to her name.

Conclusion:

Thus we came to know that all Divine religions, particularly Islam as the last and most perfect Divine religion hold the status of mothers in great reverence, and regard serving parents particularly mothers as an act of worship and the same as obedience, to Allah. Thus all sons and daughters are duty – bound as per Allah’s commands to serve and respect their parents, in particular their mothers, most particularly when the parents reach old age and naturally need more help and deserve greater respect. No doubt any failure in this regard will cause the descent of Allah’s displeasure upon the (failing) person. In this regard, special attention should be paid by the God – fearing to verses 22 – 23 of chapter 17 (Asraa’) of the Holy Qur’an which openly prohibit the least disrespectful treatment towards one’s parents and command being good to them. May Allah help all of us to be dutiful, respectful and loving daughters/sons for our parents!

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